Wisconsin will play host to the No. 11 Hawkeyes in a crucial Big Ten Conference football matchup at Madison, Wis. The Noon EST contest, which will be telecast ESPN, could have been a pairing of two 6-0 teams, but Wisconsin fell at No. 7 Ohio State 31-13 last weekend.
So instead of trying to win their sixth in a row, coach Bret Bielema’s Badgers will try to halt Iowa from winning its 11th consecutive game.
The Hawkeyes (6-0 overall, 2-0 Big 10) remained undefeated with a 30-28 win over Michigan last week. Iowa is off to its best start since a team starring quarterback Chuck Long won its first seven games in 1985. The Hawkeyes’ winning streak is their longest since a 20-game streak was halted in 1923.
Coach Kirk Ferentz’s team features a ball-hawking defense, as well as an opportunistic offense led by quarterback Ricky Stanzi. The Hawkeyes have shown a penchant for clutch plays on both sides of the ball.
They’ll be up against Wisconsin squad that is spearheaded by John Clay, a 6-foot-1, 248-pound running back who’s scored seven touchdowns.
Iowa and Wisconsin will be meeting for the 85th time. The series is deadlocked 41-41-2. Iowa forced the tie with a 38-16 win last season.
Clay, Tolzien Lift Badgers Offense
Wisconsin failed to upset Ohio State despite outgaining the Buckeyes 368 to 184 in total yardage. The main reason was that OSU returned two interceptions and a kickoff for touchdowns.
Entering the game, Wisconsin’s Scott Tolzien had thrown just two interceptions during a solid campaign. He’s completed 64.1 of his passes for 1,293 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 215.5 yards per game.
But the Badgers’ workhorse is Clay, who’s run 132 times for 641 yards for a team that averages 422.3 yards per game. The ground attack has also received a boost from Zach Brown (217 yards, 3 TDs).
Garrett Graham and Nick Toon pace the Wisconsin receiving corps. Tight end Graham has 27 catches for 303 yards and four TDs, while Toon’s made 26 catches for 322 yards and two TDs. Isaac Anderson (18 receptions, 308 yards) and tight end Lance Kendricks (13 catches, 143 yards, 2 TDs) are also heavy contributors.
Wisconsin is averaging 31.3 points per game. Last week marked the first time all season that the Badgers managed fewer than four touchdowns.
Wisconsin’s Schofield Leads Nation in Tackles for Losses
Wisconsin defensive lineman O’Brien Schofield has been a terror to opposing offenses. The senior has made 14.5 tackles for losses, ranking first in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision with an average of 2.42 per game. The senior is fourth on his team with 33 overall tackles, including a team-high 6.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
Three linebackers lead Wisconsin in tackles. Freshman Mike Taylor’s made 43 stops, including 6.5 for losses. Culmer St. Jean and Jaevery McFadden have 38 apiece.
Another catalyst is safety Chris Maragos, who has three interceptions. The safety also provided a touchdown vs. Ohio State with a 9-yard run on a fake field goal.
The Badgers have given up 25.7 points and 333.2 yards per game. They’ve forced 16 turnovers and recorded 16 sacks.
Return of Tight End Gives Iowa Lift
Some of the best news Iowa received last week was that of tight end Tony Moeaki's return to the lineup. The 6-4, 250-pound senior had missed the three previous games because of ankle problems, but had six catches for 105 yards and two TDs vs. Michigan.
Despite his absence, Moeaki (17 catches, 192 yards, 3 TDs) is tied for the team lead in receptions with Trey Stross (17 catches, 268 yards). Not far behind is Marvin McNutt (15 receptions, 278 yards, 2 TDs).
Stanzi, meanwhile, has passed for 1,359 yards and 10 touchdowns. The junior’s connecting on a rather ordinary 57.4 percent of his passes and thrown eight interceptions. But he's continually made winning plays.
The Iowa ground game features a pair of freshmen. Adam Robinson has rushed 88 times for 429 yards and four TDs. Brandon Wegher has 70 carries for 311 yards and three touchdowns.
The Hawkeyes are recording an average of 25.7 points and 363 yards per game – figures that have generally been sufficient given the play of the Iowa defense.
Hawkeyes Defense Forcing 3 Turnovers Per Game
The Hawkeyes did allow 28 points to Michigan, but one of the TDs came on an interception return. And Iowa did become the first team to stifle Wolverines QB Tate Foricer, who was benched in the fourth quarter after suffering a mild concussion. He was 8-for-19 passing.
Iowa forced five turnovers, raising its season total to 19. Its average of 3.1 per game ranks second in the FBS. The Hawkeyes have picked off 12 passes, including five by cornerback Taylor Sash.
A sophomore, Sash also ranks third on the team in tackles with 47 and has broken up four passes. Linebackers Pat Angerer and Jeremiha Hunter are the top two tacklers with 59 and 52.
The Hawkeyes have received an additional 37 tackles from linebacker A.J Edds, and some hard-nosed play on the line from Karl Klug (7.5 tackles for losses) and Adrian Clayborn (4.5 tackles for losses, 3 sacks, 7 QB hurries).
Iowa is yielding 15.8 points and 305.3 yards per game. Weaker points have included a sub-par pass rush (1.3 per game) and less-than-stellar run defense (4.2 yards per attempt).
